Peachy Peach

Before and after baking
Phew,have procrastinate for some time before I finally settled to bake this peach cheesecake for mum and friends.Mum has been hinting since last month,ranting about how lovely it will be if she can have some cheesecake,and it must be the soft,velvety type that melts in your mouth,with cheesy flavour that is not overly overwhelming.Wah,her request is sure demanding,but I do hope she likes her cheesecake,I gave her 2/3 of this cheesecake,leaving only a miserable small portion for myself.Sigh...

In case,you are wondering about the height of cheesecake,well,I portioned some of it into papercups,which I figured that it is easier to give it away and more presentable.Although I love cheesecake,the thought of making it can be a hassle(at least to me it is).It is rather skill-oriented,as egg whites cannot be overly beaten,temperature of melting ingredients must be carefully observed.The ingredients are expensive,and baking time is a put-off(about 1 hr and a half).Gosh,its no wonder that cheesecake is costly,hmm..still,I love it and recently,I came across a mouth-watering recipe for cheesecake chocolate brownies.Anyone care for some?Hehe...

New Twist

Notice the drastic difference in the cupcakes?The one on the right is the buttery nutella cupcakes which leaves behind a lingering pleasing aroma after biting into it.Rich,intense mouthfeel that makes my lao gong wanting one after another,and not willing to share...Haha...


On the left is a modified version of the same nutella cupcakes,made without butter,milk or eggs.It is more dense,not crumbly,sticky to the touch.When bite into it,it taste very much like "far gao",the colourful steamed sponge cakes commonly found in pasar malam.However,I do like it as it does not make me feel that guilty after all...But then again.indulge too much and I am back to square one...hmmm...

This is something similar to what I am doing,very often kids will have to come up with a modified version of the recipe handed to them,they have to either increase the nutritive value or lessen the amount of seasonings.This can be challenging to the kids as not only must the dishes be nutritive,the sensory factor from the mouthfeel to the aroma is not to be neglected,sounds fun?Recently,the kids have come up with strawberry ondeh ondeh,made from fresh strawberries and of coz,without artifical flavourings or colourings.Anyone keen to try?hehe...

Ingredients Matters

Contrary to the belief that no artifical flavouring means one less ingredient to be added,the quality of the bakes cannot be comprised.As flavouring is often used to enhance the flavour of food,without it,it means that I have to add in more of the raw ingredients so as to bring out the best of the bakes.

A friend,Chris, once asked me why I choose to use more costly ingredients,the answer is simple,I always believe that better quality products can provide a better taste,make products last slightly longer.For instance ,SCS butter has delicate, sweet flavor, with a fine, highly pleasing aroma as it is made from high-quality fresh, sweet cream Smooth, creamy texture with good spreadability.Hmm...Doesnt that sounds like commerical line?Haha..I tried baking my bakes with other types of butter and sadly,the difference is noticeable,hence, I still prefer SCS butter.Hehe.....Honey,a natural preservative and sweetner,will not attract ants,especially if it is a better source.In fact,I have friend who will apply honey on a small cut and the wond heals beautifully.Er...only good grade honey can be used which can be found in specialty shops,as some honey may not be pure honey .Honey can makes bakes last longer too,as it retain the moisture,do try it.

However,not all recipes can be tweaked by simply leaving out the flavourings or preservatives,how to make the bakes last is also an issue.I loved modyifying recipes,apart from it being part of my job,I have a strong disdain for colourings and essence.As I firmly feel that we can make do without it given a choice.Fortunately,for me,my colleague shared the same view and we omit such things whenever we baked,he even goes to the extreme of not adding in colouring when making agar-agar.hehe...

Hope this helps to explains the cost beind the bakes and I do hope to gain your support.Hehe..Thanks alot.

Clover Crunch

Named this brownie after my ger,Clover Chee,tempting chocolate with chunks of oreo cookies,crunchy when you bite into the cookies,yet soft when you chew on the brownie..I created this recipe which matched the characteristics of Clover,whom at 21/2 mths old is already displaying her impatient and fiery streak,but when she smiles,goodness,she melts our hearts...
Clover-our lucky little bb, before she was born,we encountered some close shaves,for which she may not be here with us today.At my 5th month,I experienced cramps which indicated a miscarriage.Fortunately,she pulled through.During delivery,her umbilical cord got entangled around her neck,thanks to my experienced gynae,she was saved in the nick of time.Hence,she will always be our lucky baby.

Mars Bars Cookies

For anonyomous who requested:

11/3 cup sieved plain flour
approx 1/3 cup sugar
5 fun size mars bars,chopped into chunks
1 beaten egg
125 g butter
1 tsp baking powder

Methods:
1.Cream butter and sugar till fluffy.
2.Add in egg.
3.Fold in flour,baking powder and mars bars.
4.Roll into bite sized cookies and bake at 180degree celcius for 15-20mins till golden brown.

This recipe can yield appprox 25 cookies,hope you like it,alternatively,you can choose to purchase from me too,haha...By the way,care to leave your name?Do let me know how you like it after trying the recipe.Hehe..enjoy.

Corny Corn

Mmm....Warm to the touch,soft and sweet interior,is how I will describe these muffins...But hey,wait a minute,doesnt that sound like the ideal guy for the lady as well?Dont we all want someone who's warm,kind-hearted,and sweet to us?Haha...Oops,thats corny,isnt it?
Come to think if it,being married for two years does not mean romance will fade.Of course,with a baby,being tired is the prefect "excuse"to neglect each other,however,I believe that with some efforts and sincerity,we can all pleased our loved ones.Hope you too will take some time out to care for your loved ones and not get too wrapped up in work.Hehe..

Simple FARE

Pumpkin brown rice,prawns with fresh lily bulbs,boiled cai xin and green papaya,peanuts and ikan bilis soup

Nothing's quite like a warm bowl of soup to complement the meal...hehe..


A simple home cooked meal,nothing too extravgant is what I always enjoy.To me,cooking is not only therapeutic,it also enable me to know exactly what I am consuming.Never one to enjoy food laden with MSG,colourings or preservatives(found in most instant convenience foods),I prefer food au natural.

For this dinner,I prepared pumkin brown rice,pumpkin being a gd source of beta carotene,low in fats make it ideal for all ages to enjoy.Furthermore,it lends a natural sweetness without the usage of additional seasonings.hehe...sounds healthy and nice,isnt it?As for brown rice,well,I am a hard-core brown rice addict...hehe...

Next up are boiled cai xin and fresh prawns with fresh lily bulbs.The lily bulbs can be eaten raw and taste very much like water chestnuts,provides a sweet refreshing crunch to the dish.Do try the lily bulbs on your next trip to the supermarket.

Lastly,green papaya,peanuts and ikan bilis soup.......Aaah..Simmer for at least two hours so as to ensure all the essence of ingredints is mingled together,to nourish and comfort the soul.Soup,in my opinion plays an important role,it can make or break a meal.My mum,whos cantonese ensures that soup is present at every meal,not just normal canned soup though,but warming wholesome broth that has been sitting on the stove nearly half a day,simmering for hours.Hmm...Come to think of it,its time to stock up on ingredients for soup,hey,lao gong,when are we going grocery shopping?

Clover the princess

All thanks to my supportive lao gong who works two jobs to support us,I have the chance to take care of our little ger,Clover.Her whims make me attentive and ready to fill her needs.She rules our house,haha....Now that shes older,she trying to explore her surrounding by placing things into her mouth,can't wait till she's older when we can bake together and then enjoy the fruits of our success...hehe...Hmm...Lao gong,now what shall I bake for u on father's day to thank you huh?

MARS INVADE!!

I prefer mars bars to snickers,guess I like the goey,sticky chocolate which I can pull into long strand...Hehe,playing with food is fun,though my lao gong will surely shake his head...Thanks to derlynn,an old good frd of mine who passed me this recipe,now I have my mars bars cookies anytime I fancy,passed some around to my ex colleagues and mum.They loved it,well,who wouldn't with such goodie that makes you go Mmmm...........

Specially For U..

Baked this lot for my kids...Kids who will be graduating this yr and step out of the gate ,as fine young ladies and gentlemen who shall contribute to the society in the near future to come,and whom I hope,will claim their results with heads hold high,smiling from ear to ear.They are a boisterous bunch,vocal lot,who dare to challenge authority,should you rub them the wrong way.Yet.........they come to class promptly,listen patiently to my nagging,cos they "give me face" (in their own words)For this,I say thank you,kids, for making my days enjoyable,you make me laugh at your silly antics,you make me worried at your results...You promise to work hard,do continue to do so...Stop playing mahjong and torturing my replacement,ok?Dun make me "hatam"you... haha...

Chocolate Scones

Woke up to a cold raining tuesday morning,what will you do on a day like this?Sleep in,do housework,or go shopping since it will definitely be less crowded?I was feeling lazy and while lazing around,I spied my chocolate recipe book lying on the bookshelf collecting dust...haha..
Flipped through it and saw something that caught my eye.Chocolate scones,served warm and fluffy with a tbsp of jam or butter sounds good to me as breakfast.

Besides,its been two yrs since I last baked scones,and this is a good chance for me to used up the flour,butter and chocolate chips..Preparation is simple,a pair of cool,clean hands,avoid handling the dough too much and a very hot oven.Bingo,chocolate scones served with kiwi and two teaspoon of mango yoghurt...hmm...suddenly,my morning doesn't seem that cold anymore..haha...Oops,the yoghurt is oozing out,guess I better finish it fast... Do try it,cos if I can bake it,so can you...hehe..

Chocolate Scones(a good alternative to boing bread and butter breakfast)-makes 9
225g sieved self-raising flour
60g butter
1 tbsp caster sugar
50g chocolate chips(I use 100 g dark choco and chopped it)
150ml milk
mETHODS:
1.Lined and greased cookie tray.Cut butter into cubes and rub into the flour till it resemble breadcrumbs.

2.Add in sugar,chocolate chips and mix well.Add in milk to form dough.

3.Roll out dough and cut into rounds using cookie cutter or can simply cut into squares if prefer.

4.Place scones 2 inches apart from each other and bake at preheated oven of 220 degree celcius for 10-12 mins.Serve warm with butter ,jam,yoghurt ,or on its own.

Mother's day treats -cheesecakes crumble

It's time to pay some due credits to the naggy woman in our lives(aka mummy dearest...haha)My mum,who always works so hard to bring in the dough,fighting along side by side with my dad in the career battlefield so as to give us the best,deserves a special treat.What good way to show my appreciation than to pamper her with my bakes?haha...These small little treats are meant for cheese-lovers mummies,and it is easy to handle.Simply pop them into the fridge and you have sinful desserts at your dispense...hehe...For variety,I made custard tart too,with digestive biscuits being the base.Hmm...I have been telling my lao gong that I wanna lose weight,yet I cannot stop myself from indulging...oops..Think I will start dieting tomorrow??hehe

Virgin Attempt

Thanks to Qingqing,I was given this golden opportunity to bake a cake for her hubby,28th birthday.And it was meant to be a surprise for him,aw...so sweet...Since her hubby loves chocolate ,I created two chocolate toppings for this cake,one with crunchy sugar,one without.Hereby wishing her hubby happy birthday with many wonderful returns of the day,and of coz..enjoy the cake...hehe..

Nutty Bitz

Nowadays,whenever people enquired about my occupation,I would pause for a while before muttering the word "housewife".Somehow,it seems weird as the word rolled off my tongue,for after having been working since I was 16,I am now reduced to being confined to the home."wah,so good"was the common remark made by most after thinking that I can relax,watch tv ,no stress and do as I fancy.Hmm...why is it then that I am not really enjoying it?Well,for one,I do not enjoy repetition and doing mundane household chores is such a bore.Basically,I start my day the same way and end it on the same note.No highlights and the way to cheer my spirits up is baking..It definitely keeps me smiling for I love to know that my bakes can make people smile...hehe..Last night,after baking these muffins,I passed one to my lao gong without informing what flavour it was.He took a big bite,turned to me and went"Mmmm...it taste exactly like peanut butter."Bingo,seems like I succeeded with my bake.Hmm..perhaps I ought to launch another baking sale again?Bake to beat the blues away....hehe...

No grease Dinner

Despite wearing sleeveless sundress,clover still complained she's feeling hot,and we were in a place where it was air-conditioned.Strangely,most of the infants I saw were virtually wrapped up like a little"bak chang",covered from head to toe.I do like this sundress,don't you?hehe........

As mentioned before,having to juggle both household and an active baby is certainly no mean feat,and I do take my hat off to my buddy,Rachel,who can cook and look after two kids,both below 3 yrs old.Really"pei fu" ...Brought clover out for her rotavirus vaccination,which may lead to fever,irritability,diarrhoea and loss of appetite within the next few days.Hmm...being the protective mum(my lao gong will attest to it as being overprotective),I decided to head home quickly in case clover do suffer from any of the side effect.Imagine being out with a cranky baby,one can forget about shopping in peace.Haha..Somehow,after reaching home,I felt utterly exhausted,thus dinner was a simple ,fuss-free meal.The salmon was poached,veggies were boiled,and making the cheese sauce was a breeze.No slogging over the hot stove,no struggling of trying to scrub the wall of grease or even mop the floor.hehe..Feeling lazy to cook a gourmet meal?Try this the next time.Oh,heres the cheese sauce recipe that one can easily whip up:

25g butter
25g flour(cornflour works fine too)
300ml stock/milk
50g grated cheese

1.Melt the butter over low heat.
2.Add flour and stir gently with wooden spoon till it forms a smooth paste.
3.Remove from heat,blend in liquid gradually.Return to heat,stir till mixture boils,add in grated cheese.Season with salt and pepper if prefer.(I did not add any seasonings as the cheese is salty)